Nigera's top traditional and religious leaders, security chiefs as well as policymakers recently came together to find solutions to the mounting insecurity in the country. NAN reported that they met at the maiden edition of the National Citizens Stakeholders’ Engagement organized by Project 774 Network in Abuja. The event with theme, 'Our Security, Our Duty: Citizens Standing with Our Troops to End Terrorism, Banditry and Kidnapping', ended with the stakeholders all agreeing that lasting peace in Nigeria requires moving beyond crisis response to fixing its root causes. The Convener Mohammed Ibrahim noted that the beauty of the project lies in its ability to bring all sides together. “Wherever you find a gap between leaders and citizens, the only thing to do is unite both sides for a common cause. I am happy we have people with a genuine desire to take this country forward as one." Ibrahim noted that commitment to nationhood went beyond official titles. “You do not need to be a governor, minister or ambassador to serve this nation. All you need is to love Nigeria, and the will to act from wherever you stand,’’ he said. Highlighting Nigeria’s immense potential, he pointed out that it is the only nation where the land holds enough wealth to fund all of its citizens' needs. “We have the resources; what we need now is the unity and will to channel them toward solutions that will lift every citizen,’’ he said. Chief Convener and Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, explained that “774” in the project's name stands for the nation’s total number of local government areas and said the summit moved beyond reacting to crises to building lasting systems where every Nigerian contributes to peace, decrying the widening class divide and fading sense of shared citizenship. “Security works best when it belongs to everyone. We have become a highly divided society where a small wealthy minority lives in exclusive estates, cut off from the struggles of the majority," he regretted. Continuing, the traditional ruler added, “We have forgotten that every blessing is meant to be shared, and that prosperity should reach down to the most vulnerable." He further highlighted drug peddling and other prevalent vices in the society today, saying, “Many of those carrying out these atrocities are not in their right minds; they are under the influence of hard drugs. Insecurity anywhere is a threat to everyone everywhere. We must share information with security agencies, rebuild moral values in our communities, and work together to reclaim our nation." Guest Speaker, Professor Sunday Lugard of the Faculty of Law, University of Jos, noted that sustainable security thrives on partnership, and recalled that security experts had long foreseen the dangers facing the nation and called for a fundamental shift towards a citizen-centric approach to security governance. “Laws and operations are important, but trust and active participation make them work. When communities stand with their troops, we close gaps that criminals exploit,” he submitted. Lugard urged delegates to use the summit to design clear, safe systems for communities to feed intelligence to police, military and the judiciary, and to ensure that every citizen can contribute without fear. “Security is not just what the government does for us, it is what we build together, from the village up to the centre,” he noted, emphasizing the need to deploy indigenous security services. “Our people trust us. We will use that to foster cooperation, promote peace and ensure that every community becomes a partner in protecting our nation,” he said.

Posted: 2weeks ago

Author: Editor in Chief

Current date: 14 August 2026